davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07
THE "OLD LEATHER MAN
Strange Pilgrim Who Puzzles the
Good People of Connecticut.

Good People of Connecticut.
The "Old Leather Man " is the one OBJ
iect of mystery and curiosity in the
Eaugatuck valley. His life is and has
been a strange one. and clad entirely in
leather he has roamed over n fixed route
for nearly twenty eight years, living in
hutS and caves, harming neither person
nor property and refusing gifts OF
charity.
He comes and goes over the same
route, visiting each place with a regu-
larity and preciseness which would lead
one to suppose that he was travelling on
an exact schedule OF time laid out by
him, and from which he must not
vary.
Who this individual Is, where he came
from. and the occasion of his mysterious
wanderings, are more matter Of cOnjec-
ture than of certainty.
That no is Of French extraction there
can be no doubt; for yesterday when l
spoke to him in English, and then in
Spanish, he made no response; hut,
when In French, I asked him where
he was going. he replied, in French,
that he f" interfered with nobody. and
wished nobody to interfere withhim."
Every effort to get him to speak after
ward was fTuitleSS, except when / asked
him if 1 could give him little money.
and, with a look Of Indignation, he de
clined my prOffer or charity.
This strange pilgrim is about 6S years
Ofage, il "A French Catholic. and imagines
he is doing penance for some sin by the
life he leads. He wears no Undertaking
excepting in the cOldest weather, and then
only an old knit jacket.
No one ever offers him the shelter of
their roof simply because of the great
mystery about him. No one seems afraid
of him in the daytime, except children,
who viii run and hide from the time he
appears till he passes out OF sight.
What little is known of him has been
gathered by piecemeal. Mr.. Gordon the
tanner, once oiled his leather suit for
him. and has frequently given him small
pieces Of leather. but has never been
able to fathom the great secret under
which the man lives.
Several efforts have been made to
bribe him and have his picture taken
but they have been unsuccessful till a
short time ago, when a photograph of
him was obtained secretly, and which
reveals distinctly his features and every
wrinkle and stitch in his eccentric COS
tune.
Summer and winter this Connecticut
/ curiosity pursues his course, with clock
work regularity Drawing the storms of
winter and the heat of summer. He
/ steadily plods along his way, asking
| nothing Of any one, doing no act OF
/ wrong, but doing penance for the wrong
/ which he did or supposed he did long
/ years ago. Exchange.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07
BIDDING AGAINST HIS FATHER.
The Stern Duty Imposed by His UnfiIinI
Conduct.

q like to shpeak my mind few
times,'' said Mr.. Dunder as he entered the
Central Station yesterday.
well, go ahead" replied Sergeant
Murray.
Il goes in an auction shtOre dis morn
ing to see if I find some bargains in
saloon tumblcrs. Ny son Shake he goes
along. too. Dot Shake he knows all
aboudt der latest shtlye in peer glasses,
and nobody can Sheat him. When we
goes in der f-ict tioucer he puts up q great
big oil painting und CRIES Oudt:
Now how mOoch To- shtart dis fine
landscape? It vhas wort $500, and who
vhiIl start him n S2O.'
VhclI, Shake he vhas q great poy to
feel sorry for poor folks. He dOan like
20 see some mans come here from New
York Uud lose so mOOch money ash dot
all at once, und so he says 20 me:
g Fadder, make him n bid of $40. Dot
bleaSC5 him Und dOan hurt yOu.
Il make dot bid NIT a loud Vyicc, und
dot New York man shmiics uua BOWS Und
vhas glad. POOty soon somebody bids
fecfty dollars. Dot makes 10 q lcetlc
mad, und 1 goes oOp to 9Stv. Den
somebody bids seventy, und ! goes oop
to eighty. Pooty quick sCinebody says
ninety, und I shump to onE hundred. 1
look arOundt to ask Shakctf goes more,
dOan' see him, und thgt picture man
gives out:
" 'Oncc-twice-tlre times. und sold
to Carl Dunder, who has der bigScat bar
gain ever vhaS =
" VhcH, dot make me almost faint
avhay uud try to run oud door. Some
body grabs me, und dot pictur" man says
der law vhas on his side under l must
pony oop. He finally lets me of If / pay
ten dollar for his trouble, und ne calls
Oudt:
'' Dot man who bid ninety dollar can
take der picture. Let him com oop.
Sergeant who vhas dot manY"
'' don't know"
Nhel, 1t vhas my son Shake! He
shtand5 by der door und raises der bids
on his own faddcr to get him in a
scrapc! He gets mo in all dot trouble
to haf some fun. Sergeant Z"
We'll"
" II some pOleecemans passes my door
unit hears groaHs und shrieks und yells,
tell him not to come in. l have some
solemn dooty to perform by dot boy
/ Shake. If I doan' shtop him now he
/ breaks down a gallows und doan't live
/ oudt half his days r'-l Detroit Free
I Press.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

Place this on the gall hook
George"
" What kind Of hook" I asked. rs
| overheard one 81 our theatrical mana
gers give the above direction
-" Why. the gall hook. You. p news
paper man, ought to know what the
gal hook j.. remarked the manager.
Although ] am VOL aware what gall
Is, / had to confess ignorance "a 10
what "a " gail hook was.
O.. Well then. listen You SEQ that hook
That is lhe gall hook When a man
sends Us request asking us for the
earth. or a portion of the hemisphere
without giving amy reason why Hc should
make ihc request. ami more so. why ve
should comply with his wishes. We call
that gail request. and all such peti-
lions Eo ON that hook, which las been
rhristcucd the gall hook. and Their. IL
remains till the end OF the season, when
the hook il cleared for new gall. - Re
rYhIfp
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07
BADLY TREATED.
The Troubles that Overlook Merchant
who was Timid but not Cautious.

Mr.. Anderson Bradley thought that a
mercantile establishment in the Indian
Territory could not fail to yield hand
some profits. He opened a store in the
Choctaw nation about two months ago.
The other day he returned to Little
Rock His clothes were much worn and
his manly physique appeared to have re-
ceivcd some sort Of shock.
% Why Anderson" said a friend,
you DO not appear to be enjoying
yourself
e. No am not boisterously happy"
What has become Of your store in the
Indian Territory
" It, up there yet"
Has business been very good"
"MidIiing."
"Comc. tell me what's the matter"
g Wei WASN'T treated rightly. When
/ went up there / found a man who
wanted TO sell his store. He offered the
establishment at a very reasonable rate
and a | had the cash | bought il. l re-
stocked the house and soon thought
myself on the road to prosperity.
Several days afterwa-d a man walked
briskly into the store and said:
"' My name is Fowler.
&" | shook hands with him for he looked
as though he might become a good Gus
toner and invited him TO sit down.
a. Why did Piles leave SO suddenly
he asked, meaning the man from whom
1 bought the store.
'' replied that I did not know.
" He went behind the counter and going
up to the desk began to look over my
books. He was a muscular fellow and
1 was determined to treat him with
politeness, but l soon found it neces-
sary TO say something.
- He turned to me and remarked:
As tho dull season is coming on
reckon I'll have to get along with
out you.
- What do you mean?' I demanded.
81 mean that I'll have to discharge
you. Piles had no authority to hire any
one. He might have waited until l got
back
(" VIII you please explainY ? said I.
&c think, sir, he replied, that you
are the one to explain
I'll do SO. This is my house,
and
"' Your house2"
Yes, my house. I bought 1t of
Then Piles sold something that
did not belong to him. This is my store.
Piles was only clerk
g. couldn't do anything. l went to
law. but lost the case. All my money
was gone, and l was in a strange
country. I had to tramp away. l
would tell you more, but Piles is In
town"
e. And you are hunting himE"
Well. no. I am Keeping out Of his
way. He says that he didn't charge me
enough for the store, and says, 50 /
understand, that he proposes to get
even with me physically.
like a quiet life, you know, and
therefore shall not associate with him
Il Arkausaw Traveller.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

I'm nv second wear Of student life.
one evening we were all In the dissect-
iu--room. waiting for the demonstration
To call our numbers. apportiUniug MS ia
squalls of four and five around tho
room.
60 There were some twenty bodies ly-
ing ou the tables. some were covered.
and OTHERS were not there were white
and black. maIc and female. old and
vpuuE. We were assigned To- one Of the
covered tables. and drew lots for choice
OF position.
q. cIu~c the head, and then we un-
covered the body.
.. Ii was that Of "a girl not more than II
and she could not have been dead more
than a week Her long blonde hair was
clean and i'm two brails. tied with light
blue riti,oIn.
''Shc must have been handled vcrv gen
tlv. forthe -huuls hook had loft no marks
on her fairwhitc skin. and the ribbons in
her hair were another proof OF that. The
boys all paused.
" I saw Il silk hand on her mock. and
on touching il found a locket. which I
opened In it was an old lady's svset
face. which seemed 70 Chide me with her
kindly ewes.
''On the other side was the inscription
May God so deal with them "a thes
deal with YOU, my child. MOTHER
." Well, we did not dissoCt that night
nor was that body dissected in Oul
college"
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07
AFTER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY.
An Escaped Union Prisoner Recognized By
. libby OniciAl.


A few days ago a gray-haired old man
was IN one OF the hotels Of this place
when a stranger got of a train which
had Just arrived. and passed through the
waiting room. He eyed the old man
closely and over the face of the latter
there flashed a look OF recognition.
Pardon me, said the stranger, your
face has a familiar look. vet 1 cannot
place you. Perhaps l am mistaken"
Oh, no. said the elderly gentleman.
" know you are not mistaken. 1 know
you like a book"
" Indeed?"
" Yes, sir. You used to board with
me-"
LIST possible?" said the stranger.
=" Yes, sir; and you left without paying
your board"
That sir, cannot be" was the indig-
nant mans answer, as he became more
and more confused.
" And" continued the old man, you
left in the night and neglected to take
your luggage"
By this time the stranger was furious.
He grew red with anger, and intimated
that only the gray hairs OF his tOrmentUT
saved him from violent treatment.
% Oh, you needn't get mad. said the
old gent, remaining provokingly cool.
" You did ali these things, and l can
prove it."
- See here, old man, who are you, and
where are you from2"
" l. sir, nm Capt. Jack Warner and you
are Quartcrmaster Murphy, and you es-
capped from Libby while l was Quarter
master of that Institution"
" My God, was the strangers eiacu-
lation, as he warmly claspcd the hand OF
the eN-rehel. Are you, indeed, the old
commssary2 Well, l did board with you
while. and l gave you the slip. too" he
laughinglv continued.
QuartcrmasteT Murphy belonged to a
New York regiment, and was captured
and sent to Libby. 1t was the practice
of the rebels to allow prisoners who had
been practitioners OF medicine 10 attend
the sick in the prison hospital. They
were given the freedom of the prison TO
90 and come at will.
One daya green sentry would not allow
these men to pass, when he was sharply
TepTimanded by Capt. Gibbs, and was
told that those men who wore red ribbons
on the lapcls Of their coats should pass
unmO OlCSttd.
Murphy overheard this and took advan-
tage of il. He had some red lining i'm his
vest, and tearing off a strip, he pinned
the physician insignia on his coat, and.
watching opportunity, he got past the
guard and escaped over into the Union
lines Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07
Origin of Dominoes.

Amedee Ponthieu has written an clab-
orate article about the game of dom
.iuo. tor. as 1T is called, dominoes -.
and contends that it dates back TO the
sixth century.
Two monks of The celebrated n,oua--
ter. Of Monte Casino. who were confined
iu the iaiI for "a trilinE di~uheJicuce. in
vented. iIl .yicr O.. kili the dres y hours
of taeir Imprisonment. "a game with
small white. square pieces pf chalk.
into which they cut small nodes, which
they C0lored, and with which they
played.
Being watched by the jailer of the
monastery, they commenced 10 sing with
"a loud voice the beginning OF the psalm.
d" DiXit DOmiuus Domino, as soon a.
they heard the jaiier coming. and repeat
ed these words until the dangerous man
was gone.
After having been released they man
ufsctured square pieces of wood and
ivory, with blaeS holes, and sold them TO
other monks. Thus the game was soon
spread throughout Italy.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

little street waif was taken once to
the house of a great lady, and the child
ish ewes, that had to lock so sharply
after daily bread. were dazzled by signs
of splendor on every hand.
Can you get everything you want?"
asked the child Of the mistress Of the
mansion.
Yes think So " was the reply.
Can you buy anything you'd like to
have2"
The lady answered. Yes" And the
child, who was of a meditative turn of
mind, looked at her half pityingIy and
said, wonderingly:
Don't you ind it dulIT'-(The Re
public.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

In the little village OF Mount Pleasant
n the potterics in Staffordshire. EuC-a-AI 4.
$ to be found child whose eXtrauFcin-
arv growth cgCitcs great wonder
Little Alice. a she il humorUusly
called. is but four wears Of age. yet turns
the scale at $50 pounds, the eircumfer-
ence of her waist being no Less than D
feet, while her height is 1 feet, SO that lit
orally she is broader than she is long.
She is bright Intelligent. and reHRrka-
bly, pretty, her head being crowned with
q mass of golden hair.
Her size does not interfere in the least
with her activity. as she may often be
seen playing with the other children Of
the village or wandering in their company
through he country lanes
Her appetite i- enormous.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

The Turks ure very kind 20 them, and
have at various convenient points erected
little sheds as places of refuge for them.
On Friday charitable Turks distribute
bread and meat TO them.
Ono evening a dog came up and licked
Lord Rouall's hand. He once pRtted
him and Lc never forgot IL. He followed
him 10 his boundary. looked wietTuly
after him. wagCcd his tail in farewell, but
would 20 no further.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07
RaIeish,. Original Tobacco Pine.

An interesting relic OF the famous Sir
Walter Raleigh was sold recently in
London 10y a wc.l-kuown hTm Of auc-
tiOueerS-
II consists Of Sir Walters original
tobacco pipe which Is said on a certain
memorable occasion To have 50 excited
the disgust of Queen Elizabeth.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

The most u : pleasant bedfellow IN the
world Is a healthy. working. buslness-llke
vaccination. II t1vont keep on its Own
side Of the bed Il wont lie still ana
behave itself ] lTis utterly vicious ana
disagr-cubIc lIla. has llIt a single rc1eGLn-
inc gliality. y.-I Rochester Herald.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

There is a great deal Of pleasing infor-
nation in the newly published History of
the United States Mint. To some IL
might seem sad deficiency that there's
nothing in it about the United States
JuleP.-L Philsdelphia News.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07
Canine scavenrrr..

Lord Ronald Cover In pleasant Ictter
from Pcra. where he has been STAYING for
some time, speaks OF the extraordinary
intelligence, ycaruing for sympathy and
kiu,.r,.-s.. and ls'hounded grstituIs vlten
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

Business items hrst insertion 100. per line each
subsequent insertion Sc. per line.
Administrator Rnd Executor g NotccSs..ss -
Auditors NOTICES
Stray and similar Notices. ..-.--.-..-.....s. l-b
EE- Revolutions proceeding of GTy coTp0T0 80
or society and communications deftg1ea 20 cota GU
fo1 10 any natter Of limited - tdiviona afteTe'
must be pdta rO4 as 6dreTffseme1fs.
JoB PRIrTIre Of 81 kinds neatly and eEpedtt-
ously executed at lowest prices you forget
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07

~ W DICI. trTDENEl- - IA W
4 FtenshurV 20 uifce 10 buuIiDv o. r
3 II.vt .is,ri ft~st auar3 centre street. Al
.u r0er OF iesaI Eusiucr a9Lcnaed ts satisiactc
? and r.tIesfs ~. r. -i,rriaIrv- ll0-14-tE1
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-07
.Advertisine ltsates.

The large and reliable circulation'os the UAB
BRA FRKEnAr commends Il to thafkvorapls cor
sfderation Of advertisers. whpse fsTors viii be IL
serted ct the following low rates
West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-18
A FACT FOR DEMOcRAT5 TO
PONDER.

Mr.. Camden's friends having as
certained that they could not in.
timidate the - set about obtaining
Republican votes. The rank and file
of that party had drawn the line on
the Standard Oil and its corrupt
methods. The popular judgment
against Mr.. Camden's reelection
was so unanimous, that the Repub-
licans in the Legislature refused to
misrepresent their constituents,
But it was thought that if an excuse
were offered some of them might be
induced to do so. A deep laid and
infamous plot was concoeted. 1t
was proposed by simultaneous pub.
locations in newspapers to create an
impression that the Republicans had
changed. front and that a revolution
had suddenly occurred in the opin-
ions of that party. 1t was supposed
that if a great demonstration was
made then, under cover of its noise,
eight or ten Republicans could be
induced to vote for the nominee of
the democratic caucus.
The Charleston Tribune is a lead
ing Republican paper in the lower
part of this State. It's present edi-
tor supported Judge Brown for Con
gress against Mr.. Snyder although
Brown is opposed t. tariff for the
sake of protection. 1t was arranged
that the Tribune, in its then next
issue, should advise Republicans to
vote for Mr.. Camden on the pretext
that he is in favor of tariff for pro-
West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-18
AN IMPORTANT VOTE.

The following is the vote in the
House, ON February 10th, TO repeal
the unconstitutional exemptions and
thereby place the agricultural on
a S, mevhat more equal footing with
the commercial class:
Democrats voting for the repeal
were: Rowan, Byown, Brown, Byrne,
Chancellor. Chew, Chipley, Cochran,
of Wetzel, Cochran, Of Clay, Crock
cit, Davisson, Ferguson, Garden,
Gleason, GOrrel, Hamilton, Harding,
Kellar, Kidd, Lucas, McClung, Pugh,
Ragland, REYNOLDS, Rife, ROseber-
~, Shaw, Spencer, Sydenstrieker
and Yeager-29. Democrats absent
Crow, Hager, Hiner, Kinsey, Peck
AMI Woods. All these gentlemen
we presume would have voted aye.
Those voting in favor Of exempt
ing $50 worth OF the products of
coal mines, oil wells, lumber in
bOoms and manufactured articles,
for every 81 Of farm produce. were
as follows; RcpubliCans-Bowers,
Cook, Depuc. Duyal, Gandec, Gates,
Hagans, Raymond, Henslcy, Ioke,
Holmes, Kincaid, Larsent Nc
Combs, McWhorter, Middleton,
Cakes, Ropp, Stellar, Smith, Strum,
Toler, woodward and Young. Also
Chambers, Democrat-25. Repub-
licans absent, Jones, Mckinney,
Taylor, Thayer and Whitaker.
1t is expected that the tax
dodgers lobby will defeat this bill
in Tie Senate. Call the, roll and let
them make their record. 1t will be
easy to convince farmers which
party looked to their interest.
West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-18

Referring to the interstate com
merce bill the New York WOrld
says;
State Legislators will be impera
lively called on to enact similar lC-
cal laws where they do not already
exist. The pass system is doomed,
and many q man, with natural ten
denotes to self-respect, who has
profited by it pecuniarily, will never
theless be glad of it. Every person
will then be placed on the same level
by the common carriers, and those
who pay for their tickets will be re-
lieved of the unpleasant conscious
ness that they are paying also for
corporation favors to somebody else.
The public will no longer be called
upon to pay the brides given to in
sure partiality against itself on the
part of influential persons. The ed
itorial fraternity will have no further
inducement to color facts and retard
reforms in railroad management. If
legislators are bribed it will not be
in the indirect way of free rides.
West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-18
Trade Dollars.

The lower House of Congress has
passed law providing that for six
Snoaths after its passage trade dol
lars shall be received for all dues to
the government The trade dollars,
so redeemed, must be recOined into
Standard dollars or subsidiary coin
age. The trado dollar was worth,
February l2gh, about 50 cents. 1t
has 100 grains of silver and the
standard dollar 4l2t. The total
coinage Of trade dollars was $780,
100000. Some S29,OOO,OOO were
exported and the director Of the
mint estimates that there are ST.
100000 in this country. They were
demopitized in 1876. 1t is estima-
ted that not more than six millions
will come forward for redemption.
West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-18

lie property may by law be exempt
ed from taxation The constitu-
ton of 1872 followed that Of 1868
except that the word cemeteries was
added. IL viii be apparent TO the
members of this body that the Leg
islature of Virginia in passing a law
exempting farm products conforms
to the constitution of its State. Not
so with the West Virginia Legisla
ture. No one claimed in the discus
sion that followed Governor Jack
sons assessment order that the
statute was in accord with the con-
stitution, but some disputed the
right of the executive to construe
the constitutiOnality of a law, hold
ing it to be his duty to execute the
laws as he found them.
The question as to the justice or
propriety Of exempting certain prop
ertv. it seems to me, has nothing to
do with this question. That could
properly be considered after the re-
peal of this statute. While ] don't
propose to discuss this feature Twill
saw as a representative Of the farm
ers and labOrers of this State l
would oppose it, as l don't see that
their interest demands it. For my
self l want what I own taxed, and
want to see others bear their full
and Just share Of the burdens of
government. / am surprised that
the gentleman from MOnOngalia was
not better acquainted with the Con-
stitution of Virginia, and still more
surprised to find him battling
against the repeal Of the statute as,
if am accurately informed, he not
only advocated the insertion of the
clause l have referred to in the Con
stitution of 1872, but moved himself
its insertion, and with the aid Of w.
T. Wiley, both leaders in the Re
publican party, urged It's adoption.
The simple question here presented
is, will this Legislature repeal a
statute plainly obnoxious to the
Constitution? l was one of those
who opposed in the last Legislature
the submission Of an amendment to
exempt anything except what is
named in the constitution. There
has been a great change since then.
Democrats on this floor, many Of
them farmers, are almost unanimous
tor the repeal of the statute, and l
hope Republicans will at least be di-
vided. l am sure they will The
question of politics has been logged
into this debate. 1t seems TO me to
have nothing to DO with it; bit if it
had, / would sag that I fee, that the
great party to which belong, in
order to maintain its supremacy,
which | am sure it will, cannot
afford to dc anything but right, and
it is to me plainly right, and in fact
obligatory under the oath, members
take, to repeal this statute.